Make sure that your camera is turned on, and if it has a special connection mode, be sure to switch to that setting.

If that does not solve the problem, and this is the first time you’ve tried to copy pictures from the camera to the computer, it’s possible that your camera needs a special driver to copy pictures. You can usually find the driver on the camera manufacturer’s website or on a disc that came with your camera. Install the driver and try again.

You can also use the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter to try to fix the problem. It checks for common issues and makes sure that any new device or hardware attached to your computer was installed correctly.

Open the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type troubleshooter, and then click Troubleshooting. Under Hardware and Sound, click Configure a device.‌ If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

If you have successfully copied pictures from the camera before, your computer’s USB port might have stopped working. Try connecting the camera to a different USB port. If that doesn't work, restart your computer and try again.

There are several possible explanations for and solutions to this problem:

Make sure that the flash memory card is in the camera.

The pictures and videos might have already been imported to your computer. Import Pictures and Videos will not import pictures and videos that have already been imported to your computer.

If your camera can store pictures in more than one location (such as both a disk drive in the camera and a flash memory card), make sure the camera is set to read pictures from the location that actually contains the pictures.

It’s possible that the memory card was accidentally erased or has become damaged. There are programs available that are designed to recover lost pictures from digital cameras.

You might need to install software provided by your camera’s manufacturer, especially if the camera is older. Check the manufacturer’s website for the latest driver software.

Open AutoPlay by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type autoplay, and then click AutoPlay.

To never see the AutoPlay dialog box, select Take no action next to the device or disc. To choose an action each time you plug in a device or insert a disc, select Ask me every time. To have a program open automatically each time, select the program.

Click Save.

Tip

If your camera uses a flash memory card such as Secure Digital (SD) or CompactFlash, consider plugging a memory card reader into your computer. When you insert a memory card into the reader, you can copy pictures to the computer without draining your camera’s battery, dealing with connection cables, or installing additional software.

Make sure that your camera is turned on, and if it has a special connection mode, be sure to switch to that setting.

If that does not solve the problem, and this is the first time you’ve tried to copy pictures from the camera to the computer, it’s possible that your camera needs a special driver to copy pictures. You can usually find the driver on the camera manufacturer’s website or on a disc that came with your camera. Install the driver and try again.

If you have successfully copied pictures from the camera before, your computer’s USB port might have stopped working. Try connecting the camera to a different USB port. If that doesn't work, restart your computer and try again.

If your camera can store pictures in more than one location (such as both a CompactFlash and a Secure Digital (SD) card), make sure the camera is set to read pictures from the location that actually contains the pictures.

It’s possible that the memory card was accidentally erased or has become damaged. There are programs available that are designed to recover lost pictures from digital cameras.

You might need to install software provided by your camera’s manufacturer, especially if the camera is several years old. Check the manufacturer’s website for the latest driver software.

By default, Windows copies pictures to the Pictures folder. But the easiest way to find your new pictures is to open Windows Photo Gallery and then, in the Navigation pane, click Recently Imported. This view displays all the pictures that you have copied to your computer in the last several weeks. To get started, see Open Windows Photo Gallery.

Open AutoPlay by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Hardware and Sound, and then clicking AutoPlay.

To never see the AutoPlay dialog box, select Take no action next to the device or disc. To choose an action each time you plug in a device or insert a disc, select Ask me every time. To have a program open automatically each time, select the program.

Tip

If your camera uses a flash memory card such as Secure Digital (SD) or CompactFlash, consider plugging a memory card reader into your computer. When you insert a memory card into the reader, you can copy pictures to the computer without draining your camera’s battery, dealing with connection cables, or installing additional software.